South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

Eight motorists in Martin County were injured in a chain-reaction crash on Martin Highway, Treasure Coast Palm reported May 4. No one was killed in the accident, the newspaper said, but three cars were destroyed and the highway was closed for nearly four hours. Most victims’ injuries were minor, but one man had to be airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries. The closing complicated traffic in the region, which was already being rerouted after an entrance to the Florida Turnpike was closed due to a gas pipeline explosion.

The crash started when truck driver Noah Schou failed to slow his flatbed truck in time for stopped traffic ahead. Schou’s truck rear-ended a pickup driven by Esteban Moreno, which set off a chain reaction involving seven other vehicles, including one oncoming semi truck. The crash caused Moreno’s pickup to catch fire and sprayed debris across the road, witness Josh Ebright told the newspaper. Ebright was among several strangers who helped to pull the seriously injured Moreno out of his burning truck. All of the other people involved suffered only minor injuries, although several vehicles, including one in the opposing lanes, were heavily damaged. Schou was not injured, but was charged with careless driving.

That criminal charge could cause serious trouble for Schou and any trucking company he might work for, if the accident leads to a Florida trucking accident lawsuit. Generally speaking, a criminal charge or even a traffic citation is strong evidence that a driver’s actions were extremely careless -- and carelessness is an essential element of proving a legal claim. Broward County semi truck crash lawyers like us can use that evidence to prove that our clients’ injuries were caused by a truck driver’s irresponsible behavior, and in turn, that our clients are entitled to financial compensation for those injuries.

Most of the victims in this crash were fortunate, but generally, trucking accidents leave their victims with very serious and sometimes fatal injuries. Because tractor-trailers, big rigs and other large trucks are so much heavier than ordinary cars and trucks, a crash between the two vehicle types can crush the smaller vehicle in an instant, killing those inside or leaving them with catastrophic injuries such as brain damage, spinal damage or severe burns. In addition to being devastating, these injuries are also very expensive to treat, requiring long hospital stays and months of rehabilitation. The most severely injured may never be able to return to work and family life, requiring a lifetime of care.

When those injuries were caused by another person’s carelessness, victims and their families have the right to file a Coral Springs tractor-trailer accident lawsuit against the responsible parties. Our law firm, Cohn, Smith & Cohn, can help. Based in Hollywood, our firm serves trucking accident victims throughout South Florida. To learn more about your legal options and your rights at a free consultation, please contact Cohn, Smith & Cohn today.